Birds of the Great Barrier Reef

One of the common questions we get out on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is “what are the nets on the boats for?” The answer to this is simple – they help keep the sea birds off the infrastructure. There are approximately 40 species of sea birds on the GBR, with 60% breeding within the marine park.

Sea birds aren’t fussy as to where they will nest. Some use low vegetation or shrubs, however the vast majority will simply nest on the ground, forming vast colonies numbering in the thousands (there is a body of thought that the birds rely on a hormonal change that only occurs when there are large numbers nearby). Michaelmas Cay off Cairns is home to over 30,000 sooty terns, and is one of the most popular and accessible rookeries on the GBR. Heron Island to the south is home to up to 75,000 black noddies during the breeding season.